People should be a part of development process, says Janardhan Reddy

Affable, communicative and ever ready to listen, B Janardhan Reddy, the new commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) believes in community participation in improving civic services.

“Can you come at 9 ‘O clock?”, is what he tells people asking for an appointment leaving the person wondering if he meant in the morning or at night. A workaholic whose ring tone is a message on waste management and recycling, his first initiative after assuming charge is on solid waste management.A peoples’ person he speaks to CityTab about his plans for the city

Solid Waste Management has been your pet area of interest. Tell us, why initiatives fail?

I have been working in the area of SWM for years. The challenge is to make a good practice sustainable. My experience says that it can happen only when people are involved at every stage. SWM can be successful over a period of time and it takes a collective effort from different quarters. Resident welfare associations, NGOs, industries and leadership at grassroots are crucial.

Merely distributing twin bins will not serve the purpose. Creating awareness among the people on sustaining the practice forever is important and that is where peoples’ participation comes into play.

On weeding out waste in the city

It cannot be done overnight but the endeavour is to have short-term as well as long-term targets and compete in phases. The problem is not with technology, know-how and equipment but with peoples’ perception. The challenge is to identity and nurture leaders at all levels. It is a long drawn process and we have made the first step with Parichayam.

On ‘Parichayam’ the first initiative

How many citizens know the name of the municipal worker who sweeps roads in their area? The answer could be not one in a thousand. The idea is to involve people in the development process. Municipal field staff of water supply, roads and street sweeping wing, drainage clearing staff and every worker at the bottom of the pyramid would be made accountable.

‘Parichayam’, roughly translated ‘Know your worker’ programme will help in building a bond with the worker and ensure quicker resolution of complaints. Development cannot take place devoid of community participation. People should be a part of development process.

All the 17,000 workers of the sanitation wing would be meeting three residents in their area and will collect feedback in a pocket sized book. In a day they would interact with 51,000 citizens and within a month, 15 lakh people. The worker would have to meet citizens and ensure that households are not repeated.

On accountability

The names along with photographs, phone numbers of the field staff would be displayed in open spaces and residents can contact the field staff. There are 3,356 open spaces in the city, which would be used for social auditing. Keeping the security of women workers in mind, the supervisor’s number would be displayed against their name. The sweeper and drainage cleaners’ interaction with households is crucial and would ensure accountability. The complaint would be forwarded to the health officer and commissioner if it is not resolved.

On developing alternative roads in Secunderabad Cantonment

The GHMC will make all efforts to meet the local Army officials for the development of alternative roads in the periphery of the Secunderabad Cantonment. The GHMC wrote 12 letters to the Army authorities and also met the Defence Minister along with MLAs and MPs.

The building of alternative roads is being given top priority and came up for discussion in the very first meeting.